Salem & Boston, Massachusetts

Arriving in Massachusetts, we picked a point that would be convenient to the airport, (so we could pick up Martha, George’s sister, when she arrived), as well as Salem and Boston. We chose the Cape Ann campground in West Gloucester which fortunately was one of the few campgrounds which had not yet closed for the year. Cape Ann is quiet, reserved and steeped in New England charm. With a rich seafaring tradition, the culture shines through in every shop, restaurant, and historic site. We arrived a couple of days before Martha so we could scout everything out. One of our first excursions was a driving trip around the 25 mile circle of Cape Ann, with stops in Pigeon Cove, Folly Cove, and Rockport. This was a spectacular drive with beautiful vistas of the ocean and some very extravagant looking homes.

Since Martha was visiting us over Halloween, we decided there was no better place to celebrate than Salem, where the city was sponsoring its yearly “Haunted Happenings”. After picking Martha up, we drove to Salem and got the lay of the land, figuring that since tomorrow was Halloween, the city would be crazy and we wanted to locate parking places and places we wanted to visit. It was very cold and windy and we walked around, looking at the shops and then decided to visit “the House of Seven Gables”. We all agreed, after the guided tour, that we were disappointed in our guide. She rushed thru everything and sometimes even forgot what she was saying. So, if this is on your list of “thing to do”, you might want to figure out if there is a better way to spend your $12.00 per person for the 15 minute tour. The House of Seven Gables inspired author Nathaniel Hawthorne to write his legendary novel of the same name. The house is also known as the Turner-Ingersoll Mansion and belonged to Hawthorne’s cousin. Though he visited the house, he never lived here, but the home where Hawthorne was born, was moved to the site of the Seven Gables house and shares the property with it. Included in the tour of the Seven Gables House is the Nathaniel Hawthorne House.

The House of Seven Gables was built in 1668 and is the oldest surviving 17th century wooded mansion in New England. The tour includes a climb up the mysterious secret staircase, which is extremely steep and very claustrophobic. We’ve climbed many lighthouses and the Statute of Liberty but this was one of the hardest climbs we have ever done.

As it was time for dinner, we headed over to Essex to have lobster at Woodman’s, a Yankee tradition since 1914. The next morning we headed to Salem bright and early to have breakfast at Red’s Sandwich Shop which was voted best breakfast for the past 21 years. It was a small place located in a historic building which was once the London Coffee House, the meeting place of the Patriots before the American Revolution. They definitely lived up to their reputation and by the time we finished, there was a line out the door and down the block. The visitors and inhabitants of Salem were definitely getting into the Halloween theme, even the mailman joined in with a costume. George was especially intrigued with the house located at “Bra-thel Terrace”.

There are several museums in Salem which deal with the web of lies of the Salem Witch Hunts of 1692. We decided to visit the Salem Witch Museum and were pleasantly pleased. We witnessed an historically accurate dramatization of the Salem Witch Hysteria of 1692, brought on by several young girls who became bored and decided to strike terror into the hearts of the Salem townspeople by accusing them of witchcraft. Stage sets with life-size figures, lighting and a narration, gives visitors of the museum a dramatic history lesson. By summer, 180 people had been accused and imprisoned – defenseless against accusations of witchcraft in a society driven by superstition and fear. The court, formed to try the victims, acted quickly. Bridget Bishop was tried on June 2, 1692 and hanged on June 10, thereby setting the precedent for a summer of executions. The witch hysteria not only enveloped Salem, but all 34 towns and villages of Essex County. Nineteen were hanged and one old man was crushed to death! Though I am sure that I had read about the Salem Witch Hunts in school, I had forgotten about the black period of our history when bored little girls managed to instill such fear in adults.

We roamed around town for the rest of the day and decided to leave before the nighttime events started. The campground had recommended a restaurant by the name of Captain Joe’s and we had some wonderful seafood once again. The restaurant was having a Halloween party and people were arriving for dinner in costume. We had Marilyn Monroe wait on us and noticed a Sara Palin look-alike in the adjoining booth. As we were leaving, George noticed a couple of “unlikely looking friends” and just had to stop by their table to say Hi.

We decided to take the commuter rail from Gloucester into Boston and then tour the city via the Old Town Trolley. We caught an early train and had a nice ride of about an hour into the city, ending at North Station. From there we walked over to catch the trolley and began our two hour tour of the city.

One of our main stops was “Cheers”. There are actually two “Cheers” bars – the original on Beacon Hill was previously knows as the Bull and Finch Pub. It was founded in 1969 and became the original inspiration for the setting of the TV Show ‘Cheers”. In 2001, another “Cheers” was created at Faneuil Hall Marketplace. It recreates the bar as it appeared on the set of “Cheers” and was the place we chose to have a drink and lunch.

After lunch, we browsed the Faneuil Hall Marketplace, located in the center of downtown Boston and was the city’s first meeting house. In the early 18th century, a number of Boston merchant families amassed great wealth through shipping and trade. One of the wealthiest was Peter Faneuil. He proposed to mark his success by building a central food market in his hometown. The building was constructed in 1742 and included not only an open market but also a meeting space for the town government, hosting debates about the sugar Tax of 1764 and the Stamp Act of 1765.

The Paul Revere House is the colonial home of American patriot Paul Revere during the time of the American Revolution. The original three story house was built around 1680. Paul Revere owned this house from 1770-1800. It is the oldest building still standing in downtown Boston and is a good example of Colonial-era architecture.

The Old North Church is the oldest church in Boston, built in 1723, and is most famous for the signals sent from its steeple the night of Paul Revere’s legendary ride. The signal lanterns warned the country of the march of the British troops to Lexington and Concord.

Copps Hill Burial Grounds is the second oldest burying ground in Boston, established in 1660. The Granary Burying Ground is the city’s third-oldest cemetery. It serves as the resting place for many notable Revolutionary War-era patriots, including three signers of the Declaration of Independence and the five victims of the Boston Massacre.

Riding the trolley gave us an excellent view of the city as it currently stands, as well as allowing us to turn back the pages of history of relive the bustling seaport days of a colonial Boston. We visited the Theatre District which encompassed Cheers, Chinatown, and the Boston Public Garden and Swan Boats; the Back Bay and Copley Square area consisting of Trinity Church with its magnificent stained glass windows, the Boston Public Library, and Sam Adams Brewery. Cambridge gave us a glimpse of Harvard Square, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). There was also a walking tour – The Freedom Trail. Winding around 16 historical sites, this 2.5 mile trail is a good introduction to Boston history. All in all, we were three pooped people by the time we returned to the train and rode back to Cape Ann. A pizza sounded really good and we enjoyed a really delicious one before heading back to the trailer.

We so enjoyed Martha’s visit but all too soon it was over and time for her to go home and for us to move our rig southward. The weather is growing cold and we still have several Northeast states that we want to visit, so before we get snowbound, we’ll head on over to Connecticut and Rhode Island to see what we are able to find.

Fall Foliage in New England

Wow! Did we ever time the Fall Foliage right here in Maine. Change is in the air as the long summer days transition into fall where the days in Maine are perfect – sunny and warm! After a few days of resting up and getting the truck and trailer washed and cleaned, we decided to head over to Bar Harbor, a popular resort town with bustling boutiques. Bar Harbor is both a town and a village. The town occupies approximately one-third of Mount Desert Island. The cruise ships dock in Frenchman’s Bay and within minutes after their arrival, the streets are flooded with tourists. After a few hours looking at the shops and making a couple of purchases (McKenzie decided she definitely needed an Acadia National Park T-shirt as we were planning on grooming her in the next day and she would need a t-shirt to avoid getting sunburned), we had lobster bisque and clam chowder at one of the outdoor restaurants. We then took a scenic drive thru Acadia National Park via the Park Loop Road. This road provides the best introduction to the park and though it can be driven in an hour, we spent several hours exploring the many sites along the way.

Acadia National Park protects more than 47,000 acres of granite-domed mountains, woodlands, lakes and ponds, and ocean shoreline. For hikers, naturalists, or just someone wanting to commute with nature, ANP is a wonderful place to go. There are more than 100 miles of hiking trails, and you can bike or walk the 50 or so miles of carriage roads as they meander thru the park. These roads were conceived and designed by John D. Rockefeller, Jr. and are closed to automobiles. It is a wonderful opportunity to see all types of wildlife – deer, raccoon, squirrels, chipmunks, porcupine, beaver, fox, eagle, osprey, and hawks.

The scenic Park Loop Road led us to Sand Beach which is a popular ocean beach located in ANP. The arctic current controls the water temperature here and at the time we visited, the ocean temperature was a chilly 50 degrees. McKenzie and George strolled along the sand (dogs are allowed on the beach after September 15th) enjoying the spot where the sea meets the land. As is typical this time of year, the weather is very changeable and the sunny morning we had experienced quickly changed to cloudy, drizzling, windy cold temperatures. Though it was getting late and the weather was certainly more blustery, we took the short hike to Cadillac Mountain. At 1,532 feet it is the highest elevation in the park and also the highest point on the United States Atlantic Coast. It began as a molten magma that intruded into older, overlying rock. As it cooled, it hardened and crystallized. It glistens with quartz crystal and pink feldspar gives this granite its pink hue. From the smooth summit, there is an awesome 360 degree view of the jagged coastline that runs around the island.

We had been told that Bar Harbor had some of the best lobster around so we just had to try some. Several folks had recommended that we try the Trenton Bridge Lobster Pound and it was quite a treat, in more ways than one. We walked into the small building and the first thing we had to do, was choose our lobster from a large holding pen. The price was based on the weight of the lobster. We decided a two pounder would be just about right for each of us. The lobsters were then taken outside to the large boiling pots to be cooked. We ordered corn on the cob and cole slaw, which was extra and were told to find a spot to sit til our number was called. The tables were fairly large, so you just introduced yourself and sat down at any available chair. When your number was called, you went up and got your tray with the whole cooked lobster and the sides you had ordered. Though we felt it was pretty expensive, it was definitely the best lobster we had ever tasted, very sweet and tender. An hour later, our tummies were filled and we were ready to head back to the trailer.

The next day, we drove to Freeport, Maine to visit the LL Bean flagship store and were we ever glad we did. We both found numerous items we didn’t even know we needed! There are actually several LL Bean stores there. The flagship store, the outlet store, a biking and camping store, and boating and hunting store, and these are just LL Bean’s. Freeport’s Main Street is an outlet shoppers paradise with stores such as GAP, Coach, Timberland, Leatherman, Yankee Candles, etc. We spent all day there and made several trips back to the truck. It was definitely worth the trip if for nothing else than to just say you have been there and seen it.

Before we left Wiscasset, Maine, we had to try Red’s Eats! It is just a small dive which is well known for serving the best lobster rolls around. Once again, it was a pricey sandwich ($18.00) but you got a whole pound of lobster on the roll. George ordered crabcakes as he is not as crazy about lobster as I am and he said they were delicious as well. McKenzie got a tidbit of lobster and decided that it was a pretty good treat!

After several days in Maine, we headed over to New Hampshire and stayed in a lovely little campground amidst all the trees with their lovely red, orange and yellow leaves. We visited Portsmouth and Concord. Portsmouth was founded in 1623 and was home to sea captains, beer barons and revolutionaries. Many of the old homes of the sea captains and merchants have been restored and are in beautiful condition. One of the ones we especially liked was the Moffatt-Ladd House. It is one of America’s finest urban Georgian merchant estates. The site includes the mansion, two outbuildings, and a terraced Colonial Revival garden. Commissioned by the merchant, John Moffatt in 1760-63, the house remained in the hands of his descendants until it became a museum in 1912. Signer of the Declaration of Independence, William Whipple and his wife Katharine Moffatt Whipple lived here throughout the Revolution. Moffatt’s great granddaughter, Maria Ladd and her husband Alexander Ladd took ownership of the house in 1819. We thoroughly enjoyed strolling through the town and visiting the small shops and could easily see why it was chosen as one of the Top 50 Best Walking Cities in America.

As we were in the prime week of Fall Foliage, we drove several of the roads just looking at the beautiful autumn colors. George was justifiably impressed with the colors, having spent most of his life in Texas. The sugar maples, sycamores, and aspens were definitely showing off their rich hues with pride.

Moving on to Vermont, we noticed that the trees were dropping their leaves very quickly. Upon arriving at the campground, we learned that they had had two nights of frost, which explained the knee-deep piles of leaves. Vermont’s hills and valleys are laced with an abundance of scenic roads and highways. It is also the home to more than 100 covered bridges, of which more than 50 have been extensively repaired or restored and many listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Staying outside Brattleboro we drove scenic Route 5, up to Hanover, stopping at the King Arthur Flour Mill in Norwich which claims to be the biggest, best baking store in Vermont. We also drove over the the Colony Mill Marketplace in Keene, NH. In 1838 the prominent Faulkner and Colony families constructed a large brick building to house their woolen mill. The mill produced the finest materials for the Union troops of the Civil War and for the Allied forces of World Wars I and II. In 1953 when it closed its doors, the mill was the second oldest textile mill in the U.S. to operate under the same management in the same location. In 1983, the mill building was restored and transformed into a regional marketplace with wonderful, unusual shops inside.

Winter seems to have set in. It is barely 40 degrees today, cold, windy and drizzling, but it is just temporary. Tomorrow will be a beautiful fall day once again with temperatures in the 50’s. We stayed at home today and just relaxed and were thankful that we didn’t have to get out in the weather. Tomorrow we will head for Connecticut for a week. We are thoroughly enjoying taking our time and moving much slower than we have for the past four months. Life is definitely good!

Back to New Brunswick One More Time!

The next morning found us heading down the Fundy Coastal Drive in New Brunswick. There was a small area of the Province that we had missed when we came thru originally and we wanted to catch it on the way out.

It was a windy, drizzly day but we decided to drive up to Moncton, New Brunswick to experience Magnetic Hill. We were able to drive our truck and fifth-wheel to the foot of the hill, shift the truck into neutral, and sat tight while we coasted uphill on Mountain Road. It was quite an experience but we must admit that the magnetic hill that we enjoyed with Betty and Al, was just as good, if not better. Is it really magnetic, or magic?
McKenzie, George and I got out to look around a bit though most of the shops were already closed for the season. McKenzie enjoyed sitting in one of the chairs in the outside restaurant and seemed disappointed when no one brought her any treats.

From there, we drove over to the Hopewell Rocks for a chance to walk on the ocean floor! When we arrived, it was almost high tide and the water was coming in so we just walked around and looked a bit. Although the flower pot rocks come in a variety of different shapes and sizes, they have all been formed over millions of years by the dynamic movements of the earth and erosion from glaciers, tides, snow, ice and winds. The story of the rocks began approximately 300 million years ago when fast-flowing streams deposited thick layers of sand and gravel at Hopewell Cape from nearby Caledonia Mountains. Over time the sand and gravel compacted into layers of conglomerate rock and sandstone. Forces within the earth thrust and tilted the rock layers, creating large vertical and horizontal fractures. From this point on the flower pots began to evolve into their unique shapes. We took a few pictures of the flower pots while the tide was in. The ranger told us that once the tide is completely in, there would be just enough room to kayak under the Lover’s Arch.

Imagine 100 billion tons of water moving in and out of a bay twice every 25 hours. Powered by the gravitational pull of the moon and sun, Fundy’s tides are among the highest in the world and vary daily with the changing positions of these celestial bodies. Because the Bay of Fundy is funnel shaped – wide and deep at one end and shallow at the other, tides are pushed increasingly higher as they move up the Bay. By the time they reach “the Rocks”, the tides are over four stories high.

Big Cove and Castle Rock boast two of Hopewell’s largest and most interesting sea caves. The vertical cliffs in this area are nearly 100 feet high.

When we came back the next day at low tide, we were able to walk down on the ocean floor and look closely at the flower pots and caves. We had a window of approximately three hours to do our looking before the water returned. It was very amazing to sit on the rocks and watch the tide start coming back in. Also, a lot of fun to walk around and look at all the different carved formations.

The Bay of Fundy is a refueling stop for thousands of sandpipers on their trip south. In late summer, thousands fly from their nesting sites in the Artic. Each shorebird stops to rest and gorge constantly for about two weeks during early to mid August. From “the Rocks” the Sandpipers will fly three days and four nights non-stop to their winter home on the northern coast of South America. During their stopover, they will eat enough mud shrimp which live in the nutrient rich mud flats, to double their weight. The extra fat gives them the energy to complete their journey.

The next morning found us at Saint John, New Brunswick. We had wanted to go the City Market which houses Canada’s oldest continuing farmers’ market. The roof of the building was built like a ship's inverted hull and inside has colorful stalls displaying local produce, meat, seafood, and just about anything you want to eat. It was fun to walk thru all the displays. Once we were finished there, we walked down to the old cemetery which was established shortly after the landing of the United Empire Loyalists in 1783.

Our final stop in New Brunswick was at the Reversing Falls. Once again, we saw it at low tide and again at high tide. As the tide in Saint John Harbor rises, the downward flow in the St. John River slows and stops. The push of the Bay’s tides continues to high tide, causing the river to create rapids upstream. This happens twice in 24 hours. We have to say that this was a big disappointment. I thought we were actually going to see waterfalls reverse themselves, but it was just small rapids in the water. So, if you are short on time and need to skip something, this would probably be a good one.

We left and drove through the small villages of St. George and St. Martins and on to St. Stephen where we crossed the border into Maine. The border crossing was pretty uneventful this time. They had us pull our rig into a huge garage and x-rayed it and we were on our way. It is good to be back in the old US of A. Now we have to get reoriented to all the things we have been missing these past four months such as television, internet, US currency, etc. We thoroughly enjoyed our Canada tour this summer and can’t say enough good things about Newfoundland, but it is always nice to get back to family and friends. We’re arriving in Maine just at the fall foliage time so hopefully, we’ll be able to get some good pictures to share with you as we travel around the New England area. Love and hugs to all of you!!